Fbi Exploring Neo-nazi Link to Oklahoma City Bombing

March 4, 1996

The FBI is investigating claims that there is an international conspiracy behind the April 1995 bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma City.

The Times of London has reported that British and German neo-Nazis are believed to have played a role in the bombing to avenge the execution of Richard Snell, and American neo-Nazi who was put to death on the day of the bombing for murdering a Jewish businessman and an African American state trooper.

Timothy McVeigh, 27, one of two defendants in the Oklahoma City case, has alleged that there was a European link to the attack.

McVeigh’s lawyer was traveled to London to investigate whether British neo- Nazis provided components for the bomb, which killed 168 people, 19 of them children, and wounded at least 400 others.

The defense for McVeigh may seek to prove an international conspiracy behind the bombing in an effort to portray him as a small link in a complex international web rather than the bombing’s mastermind.

Three Britons have been subpoenaed to provide information on the alleged European link: Holocaust denier David Irving, who has close links to extremist groups; John Tyndall, leader of the British National Party, an extreme right- wing group with between 800 and 1,000 members in Britain; and Charles Sergeant, a member of Combat 18, an extremist skinhead group whose membership is estimated at between 30 and 100.

The three men have been asked to describe communication between their organizations and American groups.

Combat 18 is the most dangerous Britain-based group, said Tony Lerman of London’s Institute for Jewish Policy Research.

“While it is doubtful that Combat 18 is responsible for developing the bomb used in the Oklahoma building, it is not impossible,” he said.

“With access to the Internet, any extremist group can develop a bomb.”